Know Your Ayahuasca: Not All Medicine Is the Same

In the West, the word ayahuasca is often spoken like it refers to one single thing—one plant, one experience, one medicine. But if you’ve sat with it more than once, or in different settings, you already know: not all ayahuasca is the same.

And it matters.

Ayahuasca Is Not a Product—It’s a Relationship

Ayahuasca is not a bottled formula. It’s not a universal recipe. It’s a living relationship between plants, people, place, preparation, and prayer.

Traditionally, ayahuasca is a brew made from two primary plants:

Banisteriopsis caapi (the vine)
A DMT-containing plant, most commonly Chacruna (Psychotria viridis) or Chaliponga (Diplopterys cabrerana)

But even within these plants, varieties differ. Vines are grown in different soils, under different moons, harvested at different times, cooked by different hands, and infused with different intentions. Some brews contain no admixtures; others include additional master plants or energetic modifiers.

The Spirit in the Brew

Each ayahuasca cook or tradition carries its own lineage and way of working. Some brews are gentle and heart-centered. Others are deeply purgative, sharp, or disorienting. Some open emotional insight. Others lead to body clearing. Others create overwhelming visions with little grounding.

It’s not just the chemistry. It’s the spirit of the brew—and how it was called in.

This is why one person can describe ayahuasca as “pure love” and another as “violent and confusing.” They may both be right—they’re simply drinking different medicine.

Know What You’re Drinking

Before sitting with any brew, it’s worth asking:

Who cooked it? What is their tradition, training, and relationship with the plants?
What plants are in it? Is it just caapi and chacruna? Are there other plants added?
What energy was present during its preparation?
What kind of dieta was followed to call in the spirit of the brew?

These questions are not about gatekeeping. They’re about alignment. Your system may respond beautifully to one kind of brew—and unravel with another.

Why This Matters

When you’re working with plant medicines this strong, discernment is not disrespect—it’s devotion.

It’s a way of honoring the medicine, the plants, your body, and your soul. It’s how you stay in right relationship, not only with ayahuasca, but with yourself.

If you’ve had a challenging or confusing experience with the medicine, it doesn’t mean you’re blocked or wrong. It might simply mean: that was not your medicine.

And that’s okay.